Graaff-Reinet Commando
Graaff-Reinet Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
History
Origin
Commandos from the Graaff Reinet area are some of the earliest examples of civil defence in South Africa, as they can be traced back to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Frontier Wars.Operations
With the Cape Colony
Second Frontier War">Xhosa Wars">Second Frontier War
With the threat of increased Xhosa penetration into the Zuurveld. In 1793 a large-scale war was triggered when frontiersmen join Ndlambe, a regent of the Western Xhosas, in their war against the Gunukwebe clans.Two Government commandos under the landdrosts of Graaff-Reinet and Swellendam penetrated into Xhosa territory as far as the Buffalo River and capturing cattle, but were unable to clear the Zuurveld.
The Ngqika Rebellion
On 3 January 1878 the Burgher Act was published which enabled the government to call out burgher commandos.With the UDF
By 1940, rifle associations were under control of the National Reserve of Volunteers.These rifle associations were re-designated as commandos by 1948.